HOUSE OF COMMONS

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if she will make a statement on the latest position regarding the latest time Royal Mail can collect Members' letters for delivery to constituents the following day.

Marion Roe: Senior officials from both Houses are in discussion with the Managing Director of UK Royal Mail with the aim of achieving reinstatement of a later collection of Members' letters for delivery to constituents the following day. I will write to the hon. Gentleman once the outcome of these discussions is known.

DEFENCE

Iraq

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units will make up 19 Mechanised Brigade as it is deployed to Operation Telic 2; and when deployments will commence.

Adam Ingram: The following units will make up 19 (Mechanised) Brigade, during its period of deployment to Iraq:
	19 (Mechanised) Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron
	The Regimental Headquarters and two Squadrons from the Light Dragoons
	B Squadron, 2nd Royal Tank Regiment
	1st Battalion, the King's Regiment
	1st Battalion, the Queen's Lancashire Regiment
	1st Battalion the King's Own Scottish Borderers
	4/73 Observation Post Battery from 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
	40th Regiment Royal Artillery
	38th Engineer Regiment (including 100 Squadron, Royal Monmouthshire,
	Royal Engineers (Militia))
	The Brigade will also deploy with a Brigade Support Group, comprising of:
	32 Brigade Support Squadron, from 3 Close Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps.
	150 Provost Company, from 3 Royal Military Police
	A Close Support Company, from 5 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
	A Close Support Medical Squadron, from 3 Close Support Medical Regiment
	The Brigade has already deployed to Iraq and assumed command from 7th Armoured Brigade on 28 June 2003.

Iraq

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sites in Iraq suspected of links to possible covert weapons of mass destruction programmes have been searched by (a) the Iraq Survey Group and (b) other coalition personnel; and how many identified suspect sites have yet to be searched.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary gave on 26 June 2003, Official Report, column 938W to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport, West (Paul Flynn).

Iraq

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has made to the USA concerning incidences of 'friendly fire' against British troops in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: We worked closely with the United States to ensure that effective Combat Identification arrangements were in place before the start of operations in Iraq. United Kingdom forces' Combat Identification capability is compatible and comparable with that of our US allies, but regrettably no system can be 100 per cent. fail-safe.
	Both incidents of "friendly fire" that occurred during operations against Iraq involving US and UK forces are the subject of Boards of Inquiry, which have now convened. But we will be looking to ensure that all parties absorb any lessons identified.

Iraq

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what US assistance was (a) requested and (b) provided in deploying logistics as part of Operation Telic.

Adam Ingram: No United States assistance was requested or provided in deploying logistics from the United Kingdom to the Gulf as part of Operation Telic. However, the US provided the reception process for all troops arriving in theatre and shared UK/US contracts were placed in Kuwait for services including accommodation and ablution facilities.

A and P Shipbuilders

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 30 June 2003, Official Report, column 35W, what the value was of each order; how many man hours were required for the completion of each contract; and in which yards the work was carried out in each case.

Adam Ingram: The yards which carried out the work on the contracts listed in the answer of 30 June, Official Report, column 35W are detailed in the table. The number of man hours required for completion of each contract is not known as companies do not include this information in their tenders.
	
		
			 Year/vessel A&P yard 
		
		
			 1999  
			 Sir Tristram Falmouth 
			 Brambleleaf Falmouth 
			 Diligence Tyne 
			 Sir Bedivere Tyne 
			 Sir Galahad Tyne 
			   
			 2000  
			 Oak Leaf Falmouth 
			 Gold Rover Falmouth 
			 Small vessel repair/maintenance Southampton 
			 2001  
			 Sir Galahad Tyne 
			 Sir Geraint Tyne 
			 Fort Austin Falmouth 
			 Orangeleaf Falmouth 
			 Grey Rover Tyne 
			 Sir Bedivere Tyne 
			 Sea Centurion Tyne 
			 Sir Tristram Tyne 
			 Sir Percivale Tyne 
			 Sir Galahad Tyne 
			 Sea Crusader Tyne 
			 Small vessel repair/maintenance Southampton 
			   
			 2002  
			 Fort Rosalie Tyne 
			 Brambleleaf Falmouth 
			 Gold Rover Falmouth 
			 Fort Victoria Tyne 
			 Fort Victoria Tyne 
			 Small vessel repair/maintenance Southampton 
			   
			 2003  
			 Oakleaf Falmouth 
		
	
	I am withholding details of the value of individual contracts in accordance with Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Third Party's commercial confidences).

Combat Aircraft

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF and Royal Navy combat aircraft were available for operations on 1 January 2003; and how many are planned to be available on (a) 1 January 2008, (b) 1 January 2013 and (c) 1 January 2018.

Adam Ingram: As of 1 January 2003, the RAF and RN combat (fast jet) aircraft Actual Operating Fleet figure was 306 aircraft. The numbers of aircraft available on 1 January 2008, 2013 and 2018 will depend upon our operational requirements at the time.

European Peacekeeping Force

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units flagged for deployment with the European peacekeeping force are (a) deployed and (b) undeployable owing to roulement; what proportion by category of unit or establishment this comprises; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There is no such force as the "European peacekeeping force".

Infantry Battalions

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 23 June 2003, Official Report, column 538W, on infantry numbers, whether Ministers have had discussions with the Director of Infantry about disbanding infantry battalions.

Adam Ingram: Ministers have had no discussions with the Director of Infantry about disbanding infantry battalions.

Sewel Motions

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list Sewel motions passed by the Scottish Parliament since May 1999 that apply to his Department's responsibilities and Government Bills he has sponsored.

Adam Ingram: Of the bills sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces Bill was the subject of a Sewel motion in the Scottish Parliament on 29 March 2001.
	The Sewel motion related to specific provisions within the Armed Forces Bill concerning Ministry of Defence Police that were later included in the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

Trainer Jets

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contractors who have been asked to provide proposals to supply trainer jets to the Royal Air Force; and by what criteria bids will be assessed.

Adam Ingram: pursuant to the answer, 2 June 2003, Official Report, c. 42–43W
	The company named should have read Aermacchi and not Finmeccanica.

TRANSPORT

Road Repairs (Deaths and Injuries)

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people working on road repairs and improvements over each of the last three years have been (a) injured and (b) killed working on (i) motorways, (ii) other trunk roads and (iii) all other roads.

David Jamieson: The number of people injured and killed while working on road repairs and improvements on Motorways and other trunk roads in England over the last three years is shown in the following table. Information for all other roads is not available.
	
		Reported Casualties at HA(1) roadworks (Motorways and Trunk Roads)(2) 2000–02: Casualties
		
			  Severity Motorway Trunk road Total 
		
		
			 2000 Fatal 1 2 3 
			  Injured 48 11 59 
			  All 49 13 62 
			  
			 2001 Fatal 3 1 4 
			  Injured 47 26 73 
			  All 50 27 77 
			  
			 2002 Fatal 1 5 6 
			  Injured 59 37 96 
			  All 60 42 102 
		
	
	(1) Highways Agency.
	(2) Motorways and Trunk roads in England.
	Source:
	Reports from Highways Agency contractors.

Vehicle Excise Duty

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of vehicle excise duty evasion in England, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: The estimated revenue loss from vehicle excise duty evasion in each year since 1997 in England is as follows:
	
		Vehicle excise duty evasion -- £ million
		
			  Amount 
		
		
			 1997–98 162.5 
			 1998–99 172.5 
			 1999–2000 162.2 
			 2000–01 169.0 
			 2001–02 170.5 
			 2002–03 172.1 
		
	
	A breakdown of the revenue loss from evasion by local authority area could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. These are cash amounts and are not indexed.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Cars

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will commission research on the technology that would enable abandoned cars to be used in steel production.

Elliot Morley: Recent data obtained by the Department estimate that 93 per cent. by weight of the ferrous metal components of end of life vehicles is recovered for re-use or recycled to the steel industry. Abandoned vehicles are managed in the same way.

Abandoned Cars

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she will bring forward for the disposal of abandoned cars.

Elliot Morley: Waste collection authorities are required under section 3(1) of the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 to remove a vehicle which is abandoned in their area on any land in the open air or on any other land forming part of a highway. Section 4 of the 1978 Act enables waste disposal authorities to dispose of vehicles in their custody which have been removed because they were abandoned. Such vehicles are normally disposed of through either dismantlers or scrap yards.
	The dismantling and recycling of End of Life Vehicles (ELVs) must be carried out in compliance with the conditions of a waste management licence or under a registered exemption from licensing and in a manner which does not pollute the environment and harm human health.
	The End-of-Life Vehicles Directive requires that all ELVs, including those abandoned vehicles which are ELVs, are depolluted and dismantled to specified environmental standards by appropriately-permitted facilities. The permits will replace registered exemptions (unless a site is only carrying out recovery operations on de-polluted vehicles). Regulations to transpose this aspect of the Directive will be laid before Parliament shortly following a joint consultation with DTI which closed on 6 June about implementing parts of the Directive.
	The Directive requires that member states shall set up a system according to which the presentation of a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) is a condition for deregistration of the vehicle. When the Directive is transposed into National law, it is expected that CoDs will only be issued by Authorised Treatment Facilities meeting specified site, storage and operating standards.

Appointments

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the people appointed to ad hoc posts within her Department bearing the titles of advocate, tsar, adviser, champion and comparable titles since May 1997; what their job title is or was; what their role is or was; whether they were or are being paid; what the total cost of each such person was in each financial year, including expenses and benefits; what the expected cost of each such person is in 2003–04; to whom they are accountable; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Defra came into being in June 2001 and the following information relates to the period since then.
	The Secretary of State has two Special Advisers: Sheila Watson and Nicci Collins.
	The Department employs an Environmental Adviser, who reports to the Director for Environment Protection Strategy. This post was held by Peter Madden until 2002 and is now held by Stephen Hale.
	The above are paid appointments. Under exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, details of individual salaries are not disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned. All of these appointees are or were accountable to Ministers for their decisions and actions.
	Ewen Cameron, who is also Chair of the Countryside Agency, is the Rural Advocate, arguing the case on countryside issues and for rural people at the highest levels in Government and outside. While this role has no formal line of accountability Sir Ewen works closely with the Minister of State for Rural Affairs on a range of issues of rural proofing and also has access to the Secretary of State and other senior members of Government.
	Dr Chris Fay holds the title Emissions Trading Champion. Reporting to the Director for Climate, Energy and Environmental Risk, he assisted the Government in recruiting participants to the UK's voluntary Emissions Trading Scheme launched in April 2002, and plays a role in communicating with business on emissions trading issues.
	Lord Haskins acted as Rural Recovery Co-ordinator during the latter part of the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in 2001. His role was to help local authorities and other agencies plan for the economic recovery of Cumbria, and to consider what lessons were also applicable to other areas affected by the outbreak. Lord Haskins began work on 14 August 2001 and reported to me in October 2001.
	These roles are or were all unpaid.

Departmental Staff (Derbyshire)

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people are employed by her Department in (a) West Derbyshire and (b) Derbyshire.

Alun Michael: (a) There are three staff employed by Defra in West Derbyshire, in the State Veterinary Service Area Office at Bakewell.
	(b) Neither Defra nor any of its Agencies has offices in Derbyshire other than those in Bakewell.

Departmental Underspending

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the underspend was of her Department in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03, broken down by budget head; and what percentage of the total budget this represented.

Alun Michael: For details of the 2001–02 underspend, I refer the hon. Member to Schedule 1 (page 23) of the Department's 2001–02 Resource Accounts, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the house.
	Actual 2002–03 outturn figures are not yet available.

Flooding

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in England and Wales are at risk of (a) river and (b) coastal flooding.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency's indicative floodplain maps published in November 2002 suggest that there are (a) about 938,000 properties at risk of river flooding and (b) about 908,000 at risk of coastal/tidal flooding in England and Wales. These properties are situated within the indicative floodplains and the majority of them are protected by flood defence structures. Approximately nine per cent. of these are commercial properties.

Over-30-months Scheme

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Rural Payments Agency has made any payment in cases where an animal has been presented for the Over-30-Months Scheme with a worn or defective ear tag.

Alun Michael: While over six million animals have entered the Over-30-Month Scheme since it started in 1996, the Rural Payments Agency is not aware of any instances where payment has been made on a tag that was worn to the extent that it was partly illegible. If an instance came to light the Agency would look to instigate recovery action in respect of any moneys paid.
	Tags which are so worn that they are partly illegible, have been ineligible for the OTMS since the onset of the scheme in 1996. This has been stressed in numerous Trader Notices issued over the years and is also set out in Part B of the OTMS Producer's Handbook.

Pesticides

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what system is in place to enable the assessment of the impact on the environment from the interaction of pesticides individually approved for use.

Alun Michael: Possible synergistic effects of pesticides on the environment are addressed by looking at the toxicity of pesticide products that contain more than one active ingredient.
	The Pesticides Safety Directorate has also examined the possible effects on the environment of the interaction of pesticides on a more general level. In 1995 a literature review was undertaken on the possible ecotoxicological implications for the Directorate's wildlife risk assessment of the possible synergistic effects of pesticides.
	As a follow-up to the literature review, and in response to reported wildlife incidents, the Directorate has commissioned research into the synergistic effects of insecticides and fungicides on honeybees. The research is due to be completed later this year when the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides will consider it.

Rights of Way

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many appeals against derogations on maps under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 have (a) been lodged and (b) succeeded.

Alun Michael: Up to the week beginning 16 June the Planning Inspectorate received 188 appeals in respect of Region 1, the south east of England and 721 appeals in respect of Region 2, the upper north west. So far three appeal decisions have been issued, two of which were successful.
	In addition, 24 appeals have so far been received for Region 3, the central southern region.
	These figures relate to England. Information on appeals in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

Rights of Way

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many representations she has received on the mapping of land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Alun Michael: Between 2001 to the end of June 2003, we received around 600 representations on aspects of the implementation of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 including mapping.

Rural Payments Agency

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Rural Payments Agency claims were outstanding (a) on 1 January, (b) 1 April and (c) on the latest date for which figures are available; and what sums were outstanding in each case.

Alun Michael: The number of Rural Payments Agency claims outstanding on 1 January, 1 April and 26 June 2003 are as shown in the table.
	
		
			 Scheme 1 January 1 April Claims outstanding as at 26 June 2003 Value of outstanding claims as at 26 June 2003 (£) 
		
		
			 Arable area payments scheme 2002 main payments 0 106 55 577,120.20 
			 AAPS 2002 non-food 0 309 20 61,820.51 
			 Sheep annual premium scheme 0 83 74 450,760 
			 Dairy subsidy schemes 0 7 0 0 
			 Non IACS schemes 37 80 (5)8 8,227 
			 Trader schemes 0 0 114 (6)— 
			 ERDP 0 0 7,858 (6)— 
			 Slaughter premium scheme (SPS) (3)74,167 (3)56,673 (4)138,606 6,885,946 
			 Beef special premium scheme (BSPS) (3)35,278 (3)25,414 (4)57,230 24,093,540 
			 Suckler cow premium scheme (SCPS) (3)16,257 (3)9,816 (4)12,407 33,993,594 
			 Extensification payment scheme (EPS) n/a (3)22,467 (4)16,783 30 million (estimate) 
		
	
	(3) claims with an outstanding advance payment representing 80 per cent. of the payment due which could have been made from 16 October 2002.
	(4) claims with an outstanding balance and or advance payment.
	(5) 2003–04 financial year
	(6) Values not available

Rural Payments Agency

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value of compensation payments to farmers as a result of late payments by the Rural Payments Agency was in each year since it was created.

Alun Michael: Since the Rural Payments Agency was created on 16 October 2001, payments of compensation because of late payments has been made under the Bovine Schemes and the Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS).
	In 2003–04 £383,013.36 was paid to 3,439 bovine producers whose 2001 subsidy claims were paid in full after the statutory payment deadline of 30 June 2002. The delays had been caused by the need to crosscheck all subsidy information against the Cattle Tracing System database as required by EU legislation.
	Under the AAPS producers have been compensated for a number of reasons included late payments. The total amount of compensation payments in each year since 16 October 2001 is:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2001/02 11,945.79 
			 2002–03 35,804.70 
			 2003–04 9,666.70

Satellites

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many satellites are (a) owned and (b) leased either in whole or part by her Department, giving (i) the purpose of their use, (ii) their initial cost and annual running costs and (iii) from whom they were purchased or leased in each case.

Alun Michael: This Department does not own or lease any satellites, but Defra does have a significant interest in a payload instrument (AATSR—Advanced-Along Track Scanning Radiometer) on board the European Space Agency's satellite ENVISAT, which was launched in March 2002. Defra represented the UK as the lead agency in the AATSR project, with some components of the instrument being supplied by the Australian Government, and an in-kind contribution from the Natural Environment Research Council.
	(i) The Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) instrument is the third in the ATSR series. It is designed to measure sea surface temperature to a high level of accuracy, in order to enable the detection of trends in climate.
	(ii) The capital cost of the design and build of the instrument was £11 million. In 2002–03 operational costs incurred amounted to £400,000; now that the instrument is successfully commissioned, future annual running costs are expected to be approximately half this amount.
	(iii) The instrument was manufactured by Astrium (formerly Matra Marconi/British Aerospace) and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL). Project management and technical management advice was provided by Leicester University and Vega Space Systems up to the launch date. There will be continued advice (but to a lesser degree) as part of the operational in-flight support. In-flight operation and maintenance is provided by RAL with data validation undertaken by Leicester University.

Staff Costs

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff the Department and each agency and non-departmental public body for which the Department is responsible had in each year since 1997; and what the cost of those staff was in each of those years.

Alun Michael: Data on staffing levels in the civil service are collected from departments and agencies twice yearly, in April and October. Headline figures are published under National Statistics guidelines via a press notice. Those for October 2002 were published on 27 February 2003.
	A copy of the press notice, accompanying media brief and supporting tables is available on the worldwide web at www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics. Copies of these documents are also placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	More detailed information on the civil service is published annually in 'Civil Service Statistics', copies of which are laid in the Libraries of both Houses. The last edition, based on April 2001 data, was published in June 2002. The next edition, based on April 2002 data, is due to be published at the end of July 2003.
	The Cabinet Office publishes information on non-departmental public bodies in its annual publication 'Public Bodies'. The information includes details of the number of staff employed by each NDPB at 31 March each year. "Public Bodies 2002" was published in January 2003. Copies of "Public Bodies" published each year since 1997 are available in the Libraries of both Houses.
	Information on staff costs for Defra and its agencies is available in the Defra departmental report and the agencies' annual reports. Information on staff costs for non-departmental public bodies is available in each body's published accounts.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what discussions he has had with the Defence Secretary regarding the role of provincial reconstruction teams for Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: The concept of Provincial Reconstruction Teams was agreed at ministerial level earlier this year, with the Ministry of Defence being asked to take overall responsibility for delivering the agreed objectives of the PRT. These objectives were set out in the statement to Parliament made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 8 May 2003; Official Report, column 38WS.

HIV/AIDS

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what measures the Government are taking with their international partners to reduce the price of anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS treatment imported to poor countries.

Hilary Benn: The UK Government are working to improve access to new and existing medicines, for poor people in developing countries, including for HIV/AIDS. The factors recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that can improve poor peoples' access to medicines are: affordable pricing, sustainable financing, reliable health and supply systems and the rational selection and use of existing drugs.
	Clare Short chaired a High Level Working Group on Increasing Access to Essential Medicines in the Developing World, which examined these issues in detail. The Working Group made a series of recommendations for action which are being taken forward by a number of stakeholders.
	We need to work with others to tackle the issues affecting access, if we are to make progress. The recent G8 Summit at Evian also secured commitment to action on access to medicines. The G8 Health Action Plan is in line with the Working Group's recommendations and provides a good basis for future collaborative action with a range of stakeholders, including the pharmaceutical industry. We are devoting significant effort to taking this forward, particularly at country level.
	The Government have also supported efforts within the European Union to put in place an EU Regulation that will prevent the diversion or 'leakage' of cheaper products from developing countries back to the EU. This is to encourage companies to offer their medicines (including anti-retrovirals) at significantly lower prices to developing countries.
	With regard to generic production in particular, the UK is trying to find a solution to the outstanding issue from the Doha Declaration on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Public Health, i.e. how countries with insufficient or no manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical sector can make effective use of compulsory licensing procedures within the TRIPS Agreement.

HIV/AIDS

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what the Government's policy is on the appointment of an EU AIDS Ambassador to help co-ordinate the fight against the disease.

Hilary Benn: We are unaware of any plans to appoint an EU AIDS Ambassador. We welcome the opportunity of increased spending on HIV/AIDS from European Commission financial instruments, including the new budget line to fight poverty-related diseases and the EC contribution to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. We continue to call for EC spending to be more poverty-focused and to be better co-ordinated.

HIV/AIDS

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what discussions his Department has had with the Governments of Sub-Saharan Africa regarding the need for agricultural institutions to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Hilary Benn: DFID has held extensive discussions with African Governments over this issue; these have covered involvement in poverty reduction strategy working groups and the design and implementation of programmes to combat HIV/AIDS, as well as donor co-ordination groups and negotiations connected with the design and implementation of agricultural sector support programmes. DFID has also financed relevant research programmes that involve African institutions and supported analytical work on the links between HIV/AIDS and recent food insecurity in southern Africa.

Liberia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the health situation in Monrovia, Liberia.

Hilary Benn: Our information on the health situation in Monrovia is provided by the UN, and international agencies maintaining a presence there, and the current assessment is that the situation is critical. In those areas that can be reached by humanitarian agencies, conditions are very poor. It is likely to be far worse in those areas of the country that cannot be reached. Only one hospital is functioning in Monrovia, currently run by ICRC, and a few additional clinics have been set up there following a lull in the fighting this week. Sanitation is virtually non-existent and water supplies are inadequate. A major cholera outbreak is likely in these conditions; health NGOs that remain operational are preparing to respond to this. Their activities have been hampered by looting of vehicles, fuel, drugs and medical supplies.
	We have committed a total of £2.5 million for humanitarian activity in Liberia this year, including £1.5 million in response to the recent upsurge in fighting. We have provided £1,050,000 to support ICRC and £450,000 to Medecins Sans Frontieres for secondary health care. These are the only two agencies maintaining expatriate medical teams in the country. We have also recently provided £374,000 to support a MERLIN emergency health programme in Monrovia. We still have available a balance of £626,000 for humanitarian interventions in Liberia which we intend to allocate to strengthen the geographical and sectoral coverage of the relief programme. We are in close touch with the UN and other agencies working in Liberia. We will meet with them on 8 July 2003 to review the position.

Uganda

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation and recent actions by the Lord's Resistance Army in Teso, Uganda.

Hilary Benn: We are concerned by the impact of the recent LRA attacks. We remain in close contact with agencies operating in this area and in conjunction with them have been carefully monitoring the situation. We have indicated to these agencies our willingness to assist, and are considering a number of requests for humanitarian assistance.

Uganda

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the abduction of children by the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda; and what steps his Department is taking to prevent this from happening.

Hilary Benn: It is estimated that over 20,000 children have been abducted by the LRA since the conflict began some 17 years ago. Of these, approximately 8,000 have been abducted in the past 12 months. DFID continues to provide support to UNICEF and other agencies involved in the reintegration of returning abductees and to provide shelter for those displaced by the LRA's activities. We continue to lobby the Ugandan Government to use all means to bring this conflict to a peaceful end and to protect those most vulnerable to LRA attacks.

Uganda

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many internally displaced people there are in northern Uganda; and how much aid his Department is giving to help them.

Hilary Benn: It has been estimated that there are around one million internally displaced people in Uganda. Over the past 12 months, we have allocated £2.5 million towards their needs and will shortly be releasing a further £1 million through the Uganda Red Cross and UNICEF to help with the deteriorating situation in northern Uganda.

Street Children (Central America)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many street children there are in Central America, broken down by country; and how many street children there are in each country.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government fully share the hon. Member's concern about the plight of street children in Central America. The rights of children worldwide are a central part of our human rights policy. We maintain a constant dialogue with the Central American authorities and NGOs on this issue; as does the EU. However, the nature of the problem is such that it is very difficult to know precisely how many street children there are in the individual Central America countries.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Civil Servants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new entrants to the civil service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

Charles Clarke: I would refer the hon. Member to the reply provided by Cabinet Office on 24 June 2003, Official Report, column 658W.

Departmental Employment Costs

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average cost of an employee working in his Department has been in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: The average cost of an employee in my Department based on mean basic pay, superannuation and employer's national insurance contributions since 1997 is given in the table.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 30,500 
			 2001–02 29,000 
			 2000–01 26,800 
			 1999–2000 25,900 
			 1998–99 25,300 
			 1997–98 24,700 
			 1996–97 24,000 
		
	
	For the period 1996–97 to 2000–01 (the period for which comparisons are available), this shows a 12 per cent. increase in average cost for the Department. This compares to a 21 per cent. increase in average salary for the labour market as a whole over the period and a 19 per cent. increase in average salary for teachers in London over the same period.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of his staff retired on medical grounds due to mental health problems in the last year.

Charles Clarke: I would refer the hon. Member to the reply provided by Cabinet Office on 24 June 2003, Official Report, column 662W.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Employers' Liability Insurance

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the annual cost to business of employers' liability compulsory insurance in the last five years; by how much it has increased since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Des Browne: I have been asked to reply.
	It is possible to estimate the annual cost to business of employers' liability compulsory insurance by looking at the total premiums written by insurers.
	
		
			  Gross written premiums earned  (£ million) 
		
		
			 1997 1,151 
			 1998 993 
			 1999 906 
			 2000 821 
			 2001 1,093 
		
	
	It is important to note that the amount raised in premiums will depend on a range of factors including number of staff employed and average earnings.
	Figures are not yet available for 2002. However, it is clear that insurance premiums have risen significantly over the last two years.
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement that was given on 3 June 2003, Official Report, columns 1–2WS, announcing the publication of the report that looked at the issue.

Renewable Energy

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what price control mechanisms will be necessary to ensure the Government's renewable energy targets for 2010 are met.

Stephen Timms: Ofgem sets price controls for all transmission and distribution companies, usually every five years. A review is currently in progress to reset the price controls on electricity distribution businesses from April 2005.
	The price controls for the two Scottish transmission licensees are due to be reviewed from April 2005, and NGC's electricity transmission price control is due for review from April 2006. These price controls will need to encourage the investment in the transmission and distribution infrastructure necessary to achieve the Government's 10 per cent. renewable energy target by 2010.

Renewable Energy

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what improvements to the National Grid will need to be made to ensure the Government meets its renewable energy target of 10 per cent. by 2010; and how these improvements will be financed.

Stephen Timms: Improvements will have to be made to the transmission grid by all of the Transmission Asset Owners (National Grid Transco, Scottish Power, and Scottish & Southern) for new renewable generation stations. The Transmission Issues Working Report published in June 2003 estimated the costs of these works.
	Planning works for the initial upgrades have been started by both Scottish Power and Scottish & Southern, following agreements made with Ofgem earlier this year. This was in response to requests from renewable energy generators (wind farms) to be connected to the transmission system. These upgrades will be treated as additions to the Regulatory Asset Base, with appropriate charges made to the generators according to the connection agreements offered.
	The Transmission Issues Working Group will continue to monitor the progress of this work.

Royal Mail Deliveries

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she was first informed that the Royal Mail would terminate their contract for deliveries of mail by rail with EWS from April 2004.[R]

Stephen Timms: The Department had been aware for some time that negotiations between Royal Mail and EWS were proving difficult. Royal Mail informed the Department on 2 June that while the final outcome was not yet settled, it expected to make an announcement about the termination of EWS rail services later in the week.
	Negotiations between EWS and Royal Mail are a commercial matter for the companies concerned.

Royal Mail Deliveries

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on the transfer of Royal Mail deliveries from rail to road; and what model has been used for Royal Mail deliveries in its transfer.[R]

Stephen Timms: The Department has received a number of representations about Royal Mail's decision to withdraw from rail. These include the rail unions and the all party Rail Group.
	Decisions about transport operations are a matter for the Royal Mail Board. Royal Mail has advised that its model is based on a model developed by New Zealand Post. This software was modified to meet Royal Mail's specific needs, including the potential use of rail transport as part of its network.

Royal Mail Deliveries

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the impact of the Working Time Directive on delivery of mail by road from April 2004.

Stephen Timms: Compliance with the Working Time Directive is an operational matter for the Royal Mail Board. I understand that Royal Mail has fully assessed the impact of the Working Time Directive on its future transport network. Where necessary Royal Mail will take appropriate measures, such as trailer swaps, vehicle swaps and dual manning of vehicles, to ensure compliance.

Unfair Dismissal

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to extend employment protection rights in respect of unfair dismissal to people over 65.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 3 July 2003
	Under current legislation employees cannot generally complain of unfair dismissal if they have reached their employer's normal retirement age for their job, or, if there is no normal retirement age, the age of 65. The public consultation on age discrimination launched on 2 July, 'Equality and Diversity: Age Matters', proposes changing these provisions so that employees who believe they have been unfairly dismissed can seek redress at any age, but retirement at a justifiable retirement age will be a fair reason for dismissal. A final decision will be made in the light of responses to consultation.

Waste Management

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Minister of State for Energy and Construction has visited facilities which extract energy from municipal waste in the past two years; and what plans he has for such visits.

Stephen Timms: My hon. Friend the then Minister for Energy and Construction visited CPS Civic Ltd.'s energy from waste plant in Sheffield in March this year. He also met with representatives from Compact Power in London in March.
	I have no immediate plans for such visits, although I am always interested to hear the industry's views. However my officials have regular meetings with representatives of the waste management industry, and have played an active role in the development of good practice initiatives by the National Resource and Waste Forum.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Media Training

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost was to her Department of media and voice training for Ministers and officials in each year since 1997.

Richard Caborn: The Department does not provide training for Ministers.
	DCMS ran a leadership programme in 2001–02 which covered the use of the voice. The programme cost £20,531.
	In 2002–03, DCMS ran courses on presenting with confidence, which also covered use of the voice. These cost a total of £6,350.

Sport England

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 20 June 2003, Official Report, column 447W, on Sport England, from which budget money for redundancy and early retirement of Sport England staff in 2003–04 will come.

Richard Caborn: 40 per cent. will come from Sport England's grant in aid and 60 per cent. will come from Sport England's Lottery income. This reflects the current payment of salaries from each budget.

SCOTLAND

Special Advisers

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many special advisers were employed in the Scotland Office on 11 June 2003.

Anne McGuire: Two.

WALES

EU Regulations

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by his Department in each of the last five years.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 7 May 2003, Official Report, column 728W.

Fire Service

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he gave evidence to the Bain Inquiry into current working practices in the Fire Service; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: No. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister submitted written evidence on behalf of the Government.

Media Training

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost was to his Department of media and voice training for Ministers and officials in each year since 1997.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office was created in July 1999 and has incurred no expenditure on these forms of training.

Richard Commission

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will give evidence to the Richard Commission.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 July 2003, Official Report, columns 257–58.

Sunset Clauses

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to include a sunset clause in all new legislation unless a specific case can be made to exclude a sunset clause.

Peter Hain: The revised Regulatory Impact Assessment guidance, "Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment", was published on 28 January 2003. It advises policy officials to consider time limiting or sunsetting at an early stage of policy development and gives specific examples of where sunsetting may be appropriate.
	The Wales Office actively promotes the better regulation agenda and the use of sunsetting where appropriate.
	Sunsetting will not always be appropriate. When we do regulate, we aim to do so in a light touch way. We are not going to apologise for introducing the minimum wage, bringing in parental leave, giving millions of employees the right for the first time to paid holidays, or tackling discrimination.

Tourism

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met representatives of the tourist industry in Wales to discuss current issues; and what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on this subject.

Peter Hain: I last met with Mr. Philip Evans, the Chairman of the Wales Tourist Board, in January 2003 and was briefed on the then current position of tourism in Wales. The First Minister and I have regular bilateral meetings, and tourism is one of the many subjects we discuss.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits (Scotland)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  pursuant to his answer of 11 June2003, Official Report, columns 925–26W, on housing benefit, how much money was claimed in council tax benefit in Scotland in 2002–03, broken down by local authority;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 10 June 2003, Official Report, columns 786–87W, on housing benefit, how much money was claimed in housing benefit in Scotland in 2002–03, broken down by local authority.

Chris Pond: The information is not available.
	However, national estimates of housing benefit and council tax benefit expenditure during 2002–03, as well as details of expenditure by local authority in 2001–02 can be found in "Budget Report 2003: Benefit Expenditure Tables", a copy of which is in the Library.

British Sign Language

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his statement of 18 March 2003, Official Report, column 41WS, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive regarding support for British Sign Language; and what proportion of the funding announced will be used to support the use of British Sign Language in Scotland.

Maria Eagle: The Department is in regular contact with the Scottish Executive over a range of issues.
	We have said that all parts of Great Britain will benefit from the initiatives to be funded from the additional £1 million we have made available to support the statement on British Sign Language. We have established a BSL working group with representatives from key organisations of and for Deaf people with remits across Great Britain. They are charged with ensuring that initiatives reflect needs across GB including Scottish interests.

Carers Allowance

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the status is of carer's allowance during a period when the cared-for person is in respite care;
	(2)  what the effect is on a person on carer's allowance of a period of illness.

Maria Eagle: Carers can continue to receive carer's allowance during breaks from caring which amount to no more than 12 weeks in any 26 week period, provided that they had been caring for at least 14 weeks out of the previous 26 weeks. The breaks from caring which count for these rules include breaks which arise because the cared-for person is in respite care or because the carer is in hospital.

Child Support

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the scheme to remove driving licences from people who fail to pay child support has cost, including initial start-up costs.

Chris Pond: The operation of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. David Willetts, dated 4 July 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask how much the scheme to remove driving licences from people who fail to pay child support has cost so far including initial start-up costs.
	I am unable to disaggregate the costs for removing driving licences from people who fail to pay child support from the Agency's overall administration costs, as this information is not available.
	However, I can tell you that the Agency's initial start-up cost was £25,000 and was in respect of a transfer of funds to the DVLA for changes required to their computer system.

Child Support

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff are employed within the Child Support Agency on transition between the old and new systems of assessment.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Peter Duncan, dated 4 July 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask how many staff are employed within the Child Support Agency on the transition between the old and new systems of assessment.
	Work on the transition permeates almost all areas of the Agency, and it's not possible, with accuracy, to identify the number of staff with some involvement. I can however say that under the new arrangements this is around 1500. These staff are working not only on new cases but on the many linked cases among the existing client base.

Children with Disabilities

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on devising strategies which ensure that children with disabilities are encouraged to have the widest possible career paths, from the earliest opportunity.

Maria Eagle: As part of its role in supporting all 13 to 19-year-olds, the Connexions Service has a particular role to play in supporting young people with disabilities making the transition from compulsory education. Personal advisers will work with young people to help them identify their aspirations, including on careers, and how to work towards them. Government guidance to the Learning and Skills Council makes it clear that, in making its decisions on funding post-16 education and training provision, it should take account of any assessment made by the Connexions Service. We have made legal provision for Connexions support to continue up to the age of 25 for those young people with disabilities who are not in a position to receive appropriate support from adult guidance services. Given its importance, we are monitoring closely the impact Connexions is having in this area.

Crisis Loans

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the cost of crisis loans has been in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) the UK in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what the average value of a crisis loan has been in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) the UK in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how many crisis loans the Department has awarded in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

Chris Pond: The information is not available by constituency, local authority or metropolitan authority areas. The available information, for the Gateshead and South Tyneside Jobcentre Plus (previously Social Security) district and Great Britain is in the tables.
	
		Crisis Loan Awards, Expenditure and Average Awards in the Gateshead and South Tyneside District
		
			 Year No. of initial Awards Expenditure on Initial Awards (£) Average Value of Initial Awards (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 8,200 420,000 51 
			 1998–99 10,100 490,000 49 
			 1999–2000 12,500 660,000 53 
			 2000–01 13,200 780,000 59 
			 2001–02 12,800 990,000 77 
			 2002–03 14,700 1,200,000 82 
		
	
	
		Crisis Loan Awards, Expenditure and Average Awards in Great Britain
		
			 Year No. of Initial Awards Expenditure on Initial Awards (£) Average Value of Initial Awards (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 802,900 51,560,000 64 
			 1998–99 866,000 55,850,000 64 
			 1999–2000 938,700 58,250,000 62 
			 2000–01 930,200 61,040,000 66 
			 2001–02 991,200 70,610,000 71 
			 2002–03 1,064,200 80,080,000 75 
		
	
	Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.
	This source is slightly unreliable for the number of Crisis Loan awards for 1999–2000, so the figure for Great Britain has been taken from a scan of the Social Fund Computer System while that for Gateshead and South Tyneside has been estimated.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for initial awards only and do not include awards following review.
	2. Numbers of awards are rounded to the nearest £100.
	3. Expenditure is rounded to the nearest £10,000.
	4. Average award size is rounded to the nearest £1.
	5. Social security in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Departmental Procurement

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department's procurement policy includes timber used on and in the construction of departmental building projects; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: It is the Department's Policy to specify that all timber used throughout the Department is supplied from legal and sustainable sources. It is also our policy to seek documentary evidence of this. Our major Estates Partner has supplied us with comprehensive details of timber used across DWP and this is being independently verified. The Department will use the lessons learned from this report to work closely with our Estates Partners to ensure that any areas of concern that are identified are rectified quickly to ensure that they comply with Government Policy.

Disability Living Allowance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the payment of disability living allowance to UK citizens who emigrate (a) within the EU and (b) outside the EU.

Maria Eagle: It has always been Government policy that social security benefits like disability living allowance, which are funded by the taxpayer and do not depend on contributions, should be available only to people who are resident in the United Kingdom. The situation differs depending upon whether Community law applies.
	Disability living allowance was listed in the EEC Regulation 1408/71 as a non-exportable, 'special non-contributory' benefit from 1 June 1992, so that new awards could not be payable to someone living permanently in another Member State. The regulation also applies to non-EU states which are within the European Economic Area (EEA) and to Switzerland.
	However, those in receipt of benefit before 1 June 1992 can continue to receive their benefit if they are living permanently in another Member State, providing they were covered by EEC Regulation 1408/71 prior to 1 June 1992. This applies not only to those who had worker status, but also to those who are members of the family of a worker who is an EEA national and thereby come within the personal scope of the regulation.
	For people who emigrate to countries outside the application of EEC Regulation 1408/71, there are no circumstances in which disability living allowance can continue in payment.

Energy Efficiency

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets he has on improving energy efficiency in (a) his Department and (b) agencies sponsored by his Department; what steps he is taking to achieve these targets; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Department, including its Executive Agencies, is covered by the interim, cross-Government target of a 1 per cent per annum reduction in (weather corrected) CO2 emissions. A dedicated Energy Manager is based within the Sustainable Development Team, who works closely with Estates Partners to achieve this target. A number of projects are under way to install energy efficiency measures across a range of buildings on the Estate. In addition, the Sustainable Development Team undertake regular campaigns to highlight to staff the important contribution that they make to achieving this target.

Fraud (Scotland)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the estimated cost of (a) council tax benefit fraud and (b) housing benefit fraud in Scotland was in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority;
	(2)  if he will estimate the cost of housing benefit fraud in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how many instances there were of council tax benefit fraud in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997;
	(4)  how many instances there were of housing benefit fraud in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997.

Chris Pond: All the information requested is not available. However, the National Housing Benefit Accuracy Review of 1997–98 estimated that between 0.7per cent. and 2.9 per cent. housing benefit claims in Scotland were fraudulent in 1997–98, with a further 1.2 per cent. to 3.7 per cent. strongly suspected of fraud and 0.2 per cent. to 0.8 per cent. mildly suspected of fraud. These figures cannot be broken down to individual local authority level.
	We have now begun, for the first time, an ongoing review of fraud and error in housing benefit. National estimates of fraud and error for 2002–03 are expected to be published in December 2003 with further, more detailed, analysis following in early 2004. However, the sample sizes used may allow estimates to be broken down to regional level but not local authority level. Due to improvements in methodology and definitions used in the Housing Benefit Review it is unlikely that meaningful comparisons will be able to be made with the 1997–98 Review.
	Information on the cost of fraud and error is not available separately for council tax benefit. The measurement of fraud and error is complex and expensive and therefore it is concentrated on benefits with the highest expenditure and risk of loss, such as housing benefit. However, the measures that we are taking to fight fraud and error in housing benefit will also serve to improve the accuracy of council tax benefit.

Incapacity Benefit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry) on 20 May 2003, Official Report, columns 749–50W, on incapacity benefits, how many people claimed both incapacity benefit and income support in each year since 1995.

Des Browne: The information is in the table.
	
		People claiming incapacity benefit (IB) who are also in receipt of income support (IS) 
		
			 As at 30 November Number 
		
		
			 1995 768,900 
			 1996 794,400 
			 1997 864,800 
			 1998 872,800 
			 1999 911,500 
			 2000 970,300 
			 2001 1,013,800 
			 2002 1,057,100 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2. Figure includes cases where people are claiming incapacity benefit but receiving national insurance credits only.
	Source:
	Figures are based on 5 per cent. samples of the incapacity benefit and income support computer systems, and exclude a small number of cases held clerically.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his staff retired on medical grounds due to mental health problems in the last year.

Maria Eagle: Between 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003, 79 staff within the Department for Work and Pensions retired on medical grounds due to mental health problems.
	This information comes from British Medical International Health Services (BMI).

Pension Credit

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the proportion of claimants for pension credit who will receive payment at the commencement of the scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: We have a Public Service Agreement target that pension credit should be in payment to at least three million pensioner households by 2006. The current 1.8 million recipients of MIG will be automatically converted to pension redit and will start to receive payment from when it is introduced in October 2003. In addition we are writing to 20 per cent. of pensioner households inviting them to make advance claims and expect the vast majority of successful claims to be in payment by October 2003. No-one will lose out because they have not made an advance application. All those who apply before October 2004, if they're entitled will receive payment as though they had claimed at the very start, or to the first day they could have qualified, if later.

Pensions

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his response of 7 May, Official Report, column 701W, whether his Department will assess the submission to his Department's Pensions Green Paper made by the Pensions Policy Institute on this issue.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department for Work and Pensions has assessed all of the comments and feedback received during the Green Paper consultation period and benefited from the many people and organisations who responded. This was the biggest ever consultation on pensions—during which we received some 800 responses from a wide range of groups and individuals. On 11 June, we published "Simplicity, security and choice: Working and saving for retirement. Action on occupational pensions" (Cm 5677) setting out action we will take to improve the security of occupational pensions and make it easier for employers to provide pensions. The document also signposts progress on the rest of our programme of reform on which we will make further announcements in due course.
	All of the comments received during this exercise have been assessed.

Sewel Motions

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list Sewel motions passed by the Scottish Parliament since May 1999 that apply to his Department's responsibilities and Government bills he has sponsored.

Maria Eagle: No bill sponsored by this Department has been the subject of a Sewel motion in the Scottish Parliament.

Sustainable Development

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the departmental strategy for sustainable development will be published; and if he will make a statement on steps that (a) are being taken and (b) are planned to take forward the strategy.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions has already published some extracts from its Sustainable Development Strategy, as responses to the published targets from the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. The full strategy is currently being developed by the Department's dedicated Sustainable Development Team in consultation with officials from across DWP and its Executive Agencies. It is intended that the strategy will be published using the web site by the beginning of 2004, with subsequent additions being made as further targets are published under the Framework.
	There is already in place a Sustainable Development Steering Group who have overall responsibility for the delivery of the objectives contained within the DWP Sustainable Development Policy Statement. They will have strategic control of the strategy and ensure that it remains on course to deliver real improvements.
	A further group of officials—the Sustainable Development Network Group—have a more practical role to play in actively working within their areas and Business Units, on a day to day basis, to deliver the targets contained within the strategy.

Water Bills

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the percentage of income a single person on jobseeker's allowance pays towards the average water bill in (a) Stoke on Trent, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England.

Chris Pond: The information requested is not available.

PRIME MINISTER

BP-TNK

Howard Flight: To ask the Prime Minister whether he sought advice concerning the signing ceremony of the joint venture between BP and the Russian oil company TNK; on what basis he has included the signing ceremony in the schedule of events during President Putin's state visit; and what representations he received from BP relating to the signing ceremony.

Tony Blair: A state visit aims to strengthen the relationship between nations. President Putin and I welcomed the opportunity on 26 June to recognise the importance of the energy sector to our relationship by opening a major joint event "Russia-UK Energy: Long Term Partners".
	Such occasions provide opportunities to mark significant commercial developments, to the benefit of UK companies and to the benefit of the nation. Following advice from the Department of Trade and Industry, and with the support of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, I agreed that President Putin and I should be present at the signing of an agreement between BP and Alfa Group and Access-Renova (AAR) in the margins of the conference. My office discussed the practical arrangements with the two main sponsors of the event, Shell and BP.

Children's Endowment Fund

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Prime Minister which Government department will have responsibility for administering the recently announced Children's Endowment Fund.

Tony Blair: I understand that my hon. Friend is referring to the Child Trust Fund. The Inland Revenue will administer the Child Trust Fund.

EU Fraud

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations the Government have received from staff seconded to the European Communities with respect to instances of (a) fraud and (b) irregular activities within the institutions; what action he has taken in response; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: I have been asked to reply.
	Since 2000, the UK Government have had a representation from one individual seconded to the EU Institutions. We recommended that they take their information to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and/or the appropriate police authorities, since these are the bodies which have responsibility in this area. The UK has no remit to investigate allegations of fraud or other corruption within the institutions of the European Union.
	Systems are in place for EU officials to submit evidence where they see wrongdoing. The UK has also supported Commission Vice-President Neil Kinnock's wide-ranging reforms to improve accountability and transparency within the EU Institutions. These include a Whistleblower's Charter; revised staff regulations; and the new Financial Regulation which radically reforms the accounting framework and systems.

HEALTH

Allergies

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the prevalence of allergies was in the last 10 years; how many specialist allergy clinics there are; what research he has done to ascertain the reasons for the changing prevalence of allergies; what plans he has to increase the number of specialist allergy clinics; and if he will make more training places available for allergy specialists.

Stephen Ladyman: The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) estimate in their report into allergies published on 25 June, that at least 15 per cent. of the population is affected by some form of allergy. Additionally, the following table shows the number of prescription items for the treatment of allergies dispensed in the community in England between 1991–2002.
	
		Number of prescription items for treatment of allergies dispensed in the community in England, 1991 to 2002 -- (000s)
		
			 BNF sections 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 
		
		
			 3.4.1 Antihistamines 5,641.0 6,116.7 6,048.8 6,184.3 6,180.5 
			 3.4.3 Allergic emergencies 10.6 12.9 15.5 28.0 38.0 
			 12.2.1 Drugs used in nasal allergy 2,704.2 3,233.4 3,543.3 3,748.0 3,770.7 
			 Grand Total 8,355.8 9,363.0 9,607.6 9,960.4 9,989.2 
		
	
	
		(000s)
		
			 BNF sections 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 3.4.1 Antihistamines 6,125.9 6,172.4 6,616.3 7,086.0 7,407.1 
			 3.4.3 Allergic emergencies 46.0 51.0 59.4 64.5 74.8 
			 12.2.1 Drugs used in nasal allergy 3,872.6 3,905.0 4,104.7 4,226.7 4,221.8 
			 Grand total 10,044.4 10,128.4 10,780.4 11,374.2 11,703.7 
		
	
	
		(000s)
		
			 BNF sections 2001 2002 
		
		
			 3.4.1 Antihistamines 7,952.2 8,356.6 
			 3.4.3 Allergic emergencies 79.2 103.3 
			 1 2.2.1 Drugs used in nasal allergy 4,320.7 4,433.9 
			 Grand total 12,352.1 12,893.8 
		
	
	The British Allergy Foundation's (BAF) report refers to the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI)'s 2001 handbook of national health service allergy clinics, which lists 86 NHS consultant led clinics in the United Kingdom as well as two nurse led services run by BSCAI members. There were an additional 15 clinics run by NHS consultants identified by BAF in the handbook. Six of these 101 clinics offered services led by a whole-time specialist allergist.
	Regarding plans to increase the number of speciality clinics, it is the role of strategic health authorities, in partnership with primary care trusts, to decide what services to provide for their populations including those with allergies. They are best placed to understand local health needs and commission services to meet them.
	A range of research projects on the epidemiology of allergies are completed or on-going. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was formed in 1991. Phase One measured the prevalence of childhood asthma, hayfever and atopic eczema for international comparisons. Phase Two began in 1998 and involves more intensive studies in a smaller number of countries. The Department of Health funded the UK contribution to Phase Two.
	The Food Standards Agency is currently funding a £0.5 million project which aims to establish how common food allergy is among children between birth and 15 years of age. King's College London is leading a £2.1 million EC-funded prospective study of the incidence and prognosis of allergy, allergic disease and low lung function in adults living in Europe. Also, The University of Manchester is leading a £1.2 million EC-funded investigation of the prevalence, pathogenesis, treatment and prevention of sun allergy across Europe. Sun-provoked skin reactions are one of the commonest forms of allergy.
	Concerning training place availability, for 2003–04, trusts will have the opportunity to create up to five locally funded Specialist Registrars (SpR) training opportunities in allergy. Central funding will also be distributed to support the implementation of one additional SpR posts in immunology and trusts will also have the opportunity to create up to five locally funded SpR training opportunities.

Aphasia

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that all people with aphasia receive support from a multi-disciplinary team including a neurologist, psychologist, physician, speech and language therapist, social worker and others.

Stephen Ladyman: The majority of people who acquire aphasia have had a stroke. Our major vehicle for improving standards for stroke services is through the older people's national service framework (NSF) which sets specific milestones for improvement by 2004 of stroke services in primary care trusts (PCTs), specialist services and general hospitals that care for people suffering from a stroke. Our document, Improvement, Expansion and Reform, which sets for the national health service a Priorities and Planning Framework for 2003–6, makes clear that implementation of the older people's NSF is a top priority, and that the 2004 milestone around specialist stroke services is a key target.
	It is the role of strategic health authorities, in partnership with PCTs, to decide what services to provide for their populations including those with aphasia.. They are best placed to understand local health needs and commission services to meet them.

Rheumatologists

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many rheumatologists there are in (a) South Sefton, (b) Southport and (c) Formby per 85,000 people.

Melanie Johnson: The number of rheumatologists per 85,000 population in the South Sefton, Southport and Formby is not available.
	However, the table shows the number of hospital medical staff within the rheumatology specialty for the South Sefton, Southport and Formby areas.
	
		Hospital medical staff within the rheumatology specialty for specified trusts -- Number (headcount)
		
			 As at 30 September 2002 All staff Of which: Consultant 
		
		
			 Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 11 3 
			 Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust 2 2 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

Bone Scanners

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bone scanners there are in England; and how they are distributed around the country.

Stephen Ladyman: Information about the number of bone scanners is not collected in the format requested. However, the National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency estimates that there are approximately 345 scanners across the United Kingdom.

Carers

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) quantity and (b) length of respite breaks for carers was provided by local authorities in England for (a) families caring for people with learning disability and (b) all forms of respite in 2002–03.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the quantity of respite breaks for all carers and specifically those caring for people with learning disabilities in 2002–03 will be available towards the end of the summer. Information on the length of breaks is not collected centrally.

Children

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the national service framework for children; and how many children were involved in the consultation process.

Stephen Ladyman: The first module of the children's national service framework (NSF), "The Standard for Hospital Services", was published on 10 April 2003, in conjunction with an Emerging Findings consultation document setting out the direction of travel for the whole NSF. The main NSF report is due to be published in 2004.
	In line with the principles laid out in the Department of Health action plan "Listening, Hearing and Responding", the views and opinions of a number of children and young people have been sought as part of the NSF development process, by the external working groups working with various voluntary organisations. These consultations have included children and young people in a range of settings and from varied ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, and include children and young people in rural/urban areas, groups of children in hospitals and in schools, looked-after children and disabled children. Organisations such as the National Children's Bureau, Contact A Family and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children have involved hundreds through various consultation processes, which included questionnaires and group discussions, though we have not been able to calculate the exact number.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Commission for Social Care Inspection will be required to give notice of its intention to conduct an inspection under clause 76(6) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The Bill provides that the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) may exercise its powers of entry and inspection at any reasonable time. Whether it would be reasonable to give advance notice of an individual inspection would be a decision that the CSCI would have to make in the light of the particular circumstances.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the Government will stipulate a time period in which the report must be published under clause 76(7) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill;
	(2)  what the criteria will be for a decision to be taken as to whether the publishing of a report is appropriate under clause 76(7) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The intention behind this clause is that the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) will always publish a report following an inspection, although it will have the discretion to determine the content of that report. We will be tabling amendments at report in order to make this intention clear.
	CSCI will also be responsible for determining the appropriate time period in which a report should be published. This may vary, depending on such factors as the length and complexity of the review or investigation that has been carried out.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government will stipulate a time period in which the CSCI must inform the Secretary of State of its decision to award the lowest performance rating under clause 77(2) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: No. As an independent inspectorate, this will be a decision for the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
	It is implicit that the Secretary of State will be notified as soon as possible.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the Secretary of State will make public the recommendations that the CSCI have put forward under clause 77(2) and (3) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill;
	(2)  whether the CSCI will be required to make the notice public under clause 77(4(a)) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill;
	(3)  where the CSCI finds a local authority is failing to discharge any of its social service functions to an acceptable standard, whether the CSCI will make their findings public under clause 77(3) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: Under clause 77 (now clause 75 following amendments made in committee) the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) will issue advice and make recommendations on a wide variety of subjects. Some of these may be appropriate for publication. However, in other cases, such advice may contain confidential information. It will be a matter for CSCI with the Secretary of State as appropriate, to decide if its advice and recommendations should be published.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines the Government will issue requiring the CSCI to report to the Secretary of State that a local authority is failing to discharge any of its social service functions to an acceptable standard under clause 77 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The Secretary of State for Health has no powers under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill to issue such guidelines to the Commission for Social Care Inspection. In fulfilling its duty under clause 77 (following amendments made in committee, this is now clause 75), it will be the Commission's responsibility to develop appropriate reporting mechanisms for informing the Secretary of State that a local authority is significantly failing to discharge any of its functions to an acceptable standard.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional functions the CSCI is to have under Clause 80 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The social care sector and the methods of delivery of local authority social services are constantly changing, with new initiatives emerging that might necessitate giving additional functions to the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Such additional functions cannot yet be identified and therefore cannot be dealt with on the face of the Bill itself or described here.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under Clause 82 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, what the procedure is for lodging a complaint against the CSCI; who will be responsible for investigating complaints against the CSCI; whether complaints against the CSCI will be made public; whether the Secretary of State will make public a direction in writing when the CSCI has failed in its discharge of functions; and whether the Secretary of State is able to remove the chief executive where a significant failure of a discharge in the CSCI's functions has occurred.

Stephen Ladyman: Complaints about the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) would in the first instance be made to CSCI itself, which would carry out an internal investigation of the complaint. It would be for CSCI itself to develop detailed protocols for how such complaints should be managed. If the complainant remained dissatisfied with the outcome of such an investigation, then their complaint could be referred to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Bill would not place a duty upon CSCI to make public complaints that have been made against it. However, in its annual report to Parliament CSCI would have a duty to report on the way it has exercised their functions over the course of the year. This report would be expected to give general details of the number and type of complaints that have been made.
	The Bill would not place a duty upon the Secretary of State to automatically make public any direction that he issues to the CSCI. He would decide on a case by case basis whether it would be appropriate to publish such a direction.
	Schedule 6(5) of the Bill makes clear that CSCI would have responsibility for the appointment of its own chief inspector. The Secretary of State would no powers to appoint, nor to remove, the chief inspector.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the specified factors which may be taken into account when a fee is to be determined under Clause 83(3)(c) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: Under clause 83(3) (now 80(3)) the Secretary of State may specify in regulations the factors that Commission for Social Care Inspection must take into account in determining any fee payable under section 83(1) (now 80(1)). The detail of these regulations is yet to be developed, and we will be consulting on these in due course.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the terms of reference are for the independent person or panel under Clause 83(b) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill; and who will be responsible for appointing the independent person or panel.

Stephen Ladyman: Section 80(6) (formally section 83(6)) will allow the Secretary of State to appoint under regulations an independent person or panel to review fees payable in particular classes of cases under section 80(1). These regulations may also include any terms of reference the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidelines the Government have set out for CSCI to devise criteria for the annual reviews of local authority social service departments under Clause 75 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill;
	(2)  when the Government will publish the criteria the CSCI has devised for the annual reviews of local authority social service departments.

Stephen Ladyman: The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) will publish the criteria. This cannot happen until the CSCI has been created, and has devised the criteria, and they have been approved by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State does not have any powers under the Bill to issue guidelines to the body in respect of those criteria.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what remedies the Secretary of State has if the CSCI fails to take into account the guidance issued to local authorities under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 (c42) under Clause 75 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill;
	(2)  what remedies the Secretary of State has if the CSCI fails to take into account the standards prepared and published under section 23 of the Care Standards Act 2000 under Clause 75 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill provides under Clause 82 (first print of the Bill) that, where the Secretary of State considers that the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) is failing to a significant extent to discharge its functions, he may give it a direction in writing, with which the CSCI is obliged to comply.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government expects CSCI to give notice where it intends to carry out an inspection of an authority under Clause 75(7) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The Bill provides that Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) may exercise its powers of entry and inspection at any reasonable time. Whether it would be reasonable to give advance notice of an individual inspection would be a decision that the CSCI would have to make in the light of the particular circumstances.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what standards the CSCI will apply to ascertain whether a local authority social service department has improved under Clause 72 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill;
	(2)  what standards the CSCI will apply to ascertain the effectiveness of measures taken by local authority social service departments to carry out services listed in 2(a)-2(f) under clause 72 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The Commission for Social Care Inspection will devise criteria against which to assess the effectiveness, and improvement, of local authority social services departments. These criteria will take into account any statutory requirements that exist for local authorities, guidance issued by the Secretary of State under section seven of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 and, where appropriate, standards prepared under section 23 of the Care Standards Act 2000.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria the CSCI will use to assess the economy and their value for money on services under Clause 72 of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The Commission for Social Care Inspection will devise the criteria it will use to assess the economy and value for money of local authority social services under clause 72 (now clause 70 following amendments made in committee) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government plan to require the CSCI to consult and involve the service users in its work at (a) national and (b) local level under Clause 72 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on Monday 23 June 2003, Official Report, columns 573–74W.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the CSCI will keep the Secretary of State informed of provision of services, and how frequently, under Clause 73 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: In general, the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) will determine how, and the frequency with which, it will keep the Secretary of State informed about the provision of local authority social services in accordance with its obligation under clause 71 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.
	Specifically under subsection (4) of that clause, the CSCI, when requested by the Secretary of State, must give him advice or information on such matters connected with the provision of English local authority social services as he may request.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the maximum fine payable is under Clause 87(4) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill;
	(2)  what the maximum fine payable is under Clause 88(3) of the Health and Social Care Bill;
	(3)  what the maximum fine payable is under Clause 86(5) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The penalty on summary conviction of an offence under clauses 86, 87 and 88 of the Bill (as introduced, now clauses 83, 84, 85) is a fine not exceeding level 4 (£2500) on the standard scale, as set out in the Explanatory Notes.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, under Clause 88(1) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, who is responsible for deciding what constitutes a prescribed person; under what circumstances the Government would expect the CSCI to consider an explanation necessary; and whether it would expect the CSCI to lay down the prescription required for such times and places as an explanation may be required.

Stephen Ladyman: The definition of a prescribed person and the prescription of times and places at which an explanation will be required will be set out in regulations which will be made by the Secretary of State.
	It will be for the Commission for Social Care Inspection to decide where an explanation is necessary or expedient but this might include where it finds discrepancies within data it has received or where information it has obtained provides evidence of potential failure on the part of a local authority.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government will put in place safeguards to ensure that vital equipment is not removed without prior agreement under Clause 86(1)(b) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: No.
	We expect the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) will normally obtain any information or other material such as technical equipment it may need by agreement. The power to remove equipment may be necessary where inspectors suspect, for example, tampering of either data or equipment has taken place or that service user safety is being put at risk. It is right in such circumstances that CSCI are able to remove such equipment for examination without having to negotiate first for its release.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government will put in place safeguards to ensure that only records, with particular reference to those held on computer, which are relevant to an investigation are inspected and that an individual's right to privacy is protected under Clause 86 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: Subsection (1) of clause 86 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill (first print) establishes that the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) may access records that it considers are necessary or expedient for the purpose of its functions under chapter 5 of the Bill. It will be for CSCI to decide what information is relevant to its inspections.
	This will ensure that CSCI will not be able to inspect records unless it considers that they are relevant to the exercise of its functions. A body will have recourse to the courts if CSCI exercises its powers in an inappropriate way.

Congenital Heart Disease

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the estimated change in the occurrence of congenital heart disease is over the next 10 years;
	(2)  what the estimated change in the number of children born with congenital heart disease is over the next 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: It is estimated that for every thousand live births there will, sadly, be eight children born with congenital heart disease. This rate is not expected to increase. However the Government Actuary's forecast for the number of live births predicts a small increase in the birth rate over the next ten to fifteen years. This means that the overall incidence of congenital heart disease is set to rise slightly; that is, from 4,577 children in the year 2002 to an estimated 4,723 children to be born in 2014. The prevalence of congenital heart disease; that is, the total number of people living with the disease, will continue to rise, as treatments continue to become more successful.

Dementia/Alzheimer's

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding the Government put into researching Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the last 12 months.

Stephen Ladyman: The main Government agency for research into the causes and treatments of disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its funding from the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Technology. The MRC's expenditure on research into Alzheimer's disease, general dementia and related conditions in 2001–02 was £6.6 million. A figure for 2002–03 is not available.
	The Department of Health funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in health and social care. The Department spent £1.6 million on research into Alzheimer's disease and dementia in 2002–03.

Doctors (Minority Ethnic People)

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of NHS doctors who are from the black and ethnic minority community; and if he will list the percentage for (a) consultant and (b) non-consultant grades.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS): All medical and dental staff by Ethnic Category England at 30 September 2001
		
			  All Staff 
		
		
			  
			  
			 All medical and dental staff 73,846 
			   
			 2001 Population Census Ethnic Group Categories  
			 All Ethnic Groups 28,003 
			 White 17,661 
			 Black or Black British 918 
			 Asian or Asian British 5,928 
			 Mixed 478 
			 Chinese 538 
			 Any Other Ethnic Group 1,473 
			 Not Stated 1,007 
			   
			 Earlier Ethnic Group Categories  
			 All Ethnic Groups 45,843 
			 White 31,015 
			 Black 1,906 
			 Asian 8,472 
			 Any Other Ethnic Group 3,744 
			 Not Stated 706 
		
	
	Note:
	From 1 April 2001, newly appointed staff have been asked to classify themselves using the ethnic categories listed in the 2001 population census. Existing staff will be reclassified over time but data returns currently include a mixture of 2001 categories and older information based on 1991 population census categories.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS): All medical and dental staff by Ethnic Category -- Percentage
		
			   Of which: 
			  All staff Consultants All other medical and dental staff 
		
		
			 All medical and dental staff 100 100 100 
			 
			  2001 Population census ethnic group categories 
			 All Ethnic Groups 37.9 30.9 41.6 
			 White 23.9 24.6 23.5 
			 Black or Black British 1.2 0.6 1.6 
			 Asian or Asian British 8.0 3.4 10.5 
			 Mixed 0.6 0.3 0.8 
			 Chinese 0.7 0.3 0.9 
			 Any Other Ethnic Group 2.0 1.1 2.5 
			 Not Stated 1.4 0.6 1.8 
			 
			  Earlier ethnic group categories  
			 All Ethnic Groups 62.1 69.1 58.4 
			 White 42.0 55.7 34.7 
			 Black 2.6 1.9 3.0 
			 Asian 11.5 6.5 14.1 
			 Any Other Ethnic Group 5.1 4.4 5.4 
			 Not Stated 1.0 0.6 1.2 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. From 1 April 2001, newly appointed staff have been asked to classify themselves using the ethnic categories listed in the 2001 population census. Existing staff will be reclassified over time but data returns currently include a mixture of 2001 categories and older information based on 1991 population census categories.
	2. General practitioner data, by ethnic category, is not collected by the Department.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

Epidemics

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what preparations his Department has made in the event of an outbreak of (a) tularaemia, (b) viral haemorrhagic fever, (c) plague and (d) botulism.

Melanie Johnson: Guidance on the management and control of viral haemorrhagic fevers was produced by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) in December 1996.
	The Department of Health published specific guidance in October 2001 concerning the public health response to a deliberate release of botulism, plague or tularaemia. This advice is available on the Department's website at
	http://www.doh.gov.uk/epcu/cbr/response/introph.htm
	It is complemented by operational guidance and advice for professionals and the public, developed in conjunction with the Health Protection Agency and hosted on their website at http://www.phls.org.uk/topics az/deliberate release/menu.htm
	In preparing to respond to a deliberate release or large outbreak involving these agents, the Department holds a national stockpile of antibiotics and anti-toxin required for treatment of plague, tularaemia and botulism.

Farmed Salmon

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has collated in respect to the discovering of radioactive pollution from technetium 99 in farmed salmon; and what discussions he has had on the discovery with the chairman of the Food Standards Agency.

Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency (FSA), in conjunction with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, has obtained samples of salmon from 15 fish farms in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The preliminary results of the analyses of these samples show that the concentrations of technetium 99 are very low. The FSA has published data on technetium 99 in other marine species in its annual "Radiation in Food and the Environment" reports.
	I have had no discussions with the chairman of the FSA on this matter.

Fruit and Vegetables

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of (a) men, (b) women and (c) children who eat five portions a day of fruit and vegetables.

Melanie Johnson: The Health Survey for England in 2001 estimated that 24 per cent. of men, 28 per cent. of women and 13 per cent. of children ate five portions or more of fruit and vegetables a day. One portion is 80 grams (it is estimated that eating at least five portions a day of a variety of fruit and vegetables would reduce overall deaths from chronic diseases by a fifth).

General Practitioners

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether GPs will be required to make payments to hospitals under the plans to recover NHS costs from compensation settlements.

Stephen Ladyman: Subject to parliamentary approval, the proposals in Part 3 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill will mean that anyone who makes a compensation payment to another in respect of a personal injury will also be liable to pay associated national health service costs if the injured person receives NHS hospital treatment for the injury. This will apply to general practitioners in the same way as it will to anyone else. Any NHS costs payable will be in addition to the compensation payment made, not recovered from it.

General Practitioners

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what powers a local pharmaceutical committee has to remove the right of a general practitioner to dispense;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the powers to reclassify areas covered by dispensing doctors from rural to urban under the NHS Pharmaceutical Regulations Act 1992.

Rosie Winterton: National health service primary care trusts (PCTs) determine whether an area is rural in character, which is a key element in deciding whether or not a doctor can provide pharmaceutical services to certain of their patients. Such determinations can be appealed.
	A PCT can revisit a determination at any time where a substantial change of circumstances affecting the relevant area takes place. Otherwise, if the PCT has not considered a particular area for five years, either the local medical committee or local pharmaceutical committee can require the PCT to re-consider the area and make a fresh determination, which can likewise be appealed.

Head Injuries

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people suffered head injuries in (a) the UK and (b) Sefton in each year from 1993 to 2003;
	(2)  what percentage of people in (a) the UK and (b) Sefton who have suffered brain injury in the past 10 years have recovered completely.

Stephen Ladyman: Data on the incidence of individual conditions is not collected centrally. Research evidence, however, suggests that around 1 million people a year suffer a head injury and, of those, around 100,000 receive an injury severe enough to require hospital treatment.
	Data on treatment outcomes for individual patients is not collected centrally. Research evidence suggests that many patients never make a full recovery and are left with life long disabilities. It is estimated that there may be up to 75,000 people in that situation.
	Separate information is not available for Sefton.
	The national service framework on long term conditions will have a particular focus on the needs of people with neurological disease, brain and spinal injury, as well as some of the common issues faced by people with a long-term condition such as rehabilitation. It will set standards of improvement in treatment and care for people with head injury.

Hip Fractures

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts have adopted an osteoporosis prevention strategy.

Stephen Ladyman: We do not collect information on how many primary care trusts have adopted an osteoporosis prevention strategy.
	We are taking osteoporosis forward through the falls section of the national service framework for older people. This requires local health and social care systems to establish an integrated falls service by 2005. These services must include appropriate interventions and advice to prevent osteoporotic fracture.

HIV

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) deaths there were from human immunodeficiency virus and (b) new cases were diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus in each year since 1980.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested for England is shown in the table for deaths in people diagnosed as HIV infected, by year of death and new diagnoses of HIV infection, by year of diagnosis.
	
		
			 Year Deaths in people diagnosed with HIV New HIV diagnoses 
		
		
			 1980 0 27 
			 1981 1 35 
			 1982 7 99 
			 1983 18 216 
			 1984 48 836 
			 1985 146 2,922 
			 1986 292 2,425 
			 1987 387 2,238 
			 1988 441 1,758 
			 1989 678 1,980 
			 1990 801 2,373 
			 1991 962 2,489 
			 1992 1,117 2,544 
			 1993 1,422 2,392 
			 1994 1,527 2,363 
			 1995 1,529 2,440 
			 1996 1,308 2,472 
			 1997 652 2,505 
			 1998 447 2,612 
			 1999 416 2,864 
			 2000 424 3,609 
			 2001 340 4,724 
			 2002 290 5,037 
		
	
	Note:
	Numbers, particularly for recent years, will rise as further reports are received.
	Source:
	Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Health Protection Agency, data to end of March 2003.

Mental Health

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 676W, on mental health, what the ages are of the children cared for by adult mental health services in Mersey Care National Health Service Trust area.

Melanie Johnson: As at 25 June 2003, the number of under 18-year-olds being treated by adult mental health services in Mersey Care National Health Service were 13 who were aged 16 years and eighteen who were aged 17 years.

Muscular Dystrophy

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of hospitals treat muscular dystrophy.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the configuration of hospitals and the diseases that they treat is not held centrally. There is no specific treatment for any of the forms of muscular dystrophy. Physical therapy and corrective orthopaedic surgery may be needed to improve the quality of life in some cases. This treatment may be delivered in either a primary or secondary care setting depending on the clinical needs of the patient.

Myeloma

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of delays in the diagnosis of myeloma.

Melanie Johnson: The NHS Cancer Plan sets out our strategy to reduce waiting times for cancer patients. A two week out-patient waiting time standard was introduced for all urgently referred cases of suspected cancer from 2000. Myeloma is included in leukaemia waiting times and in the last quarter, January-March 2003, 98.7 per cent. of all urgently referred cases of suspected leukaemia were seen within two weeks. From 2001, a maximum waiting time of one month from urgent referral to first treatment was introduced for urgently referred cases of suspected leukaemia and in the last quarter 98.6 per cent. of patients were treated within a month of referral. Data on all current cancer waiting times targets are published on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/cancerwaits.

Neurological Registrars

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) funded and (b) un-funded specialist neurological registrars there were in each NHS region in (i) 1997–98 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available.

John Hutton: The table shows the number of hospital medical staff within the registrar group in neurology by national health service region in 1997, 1998 and the latest year available, 2001.
	
		Hospital medical registrar group within the neurology specialty by region -- Number (headcount)
		
			 England at 30 September 1997 1998 2001 
		
		
			 England 159 149 162 
			 
			 Northern and Yorkshire 18 11 23 
			 Trent 15 15 12 
			 West Midlands 8 10 15 
			 North West 15 19 19 
			 Eastern 12 8 15 
			 London 77 72 60 
			 South East 8 9 11 
			 South Western 6 5 7 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census
	The funding arrangements in 1997 and 1998 required Postgraduate Deans to fund 50 per cent. of the cost of a new specialist registrar (SpR) post and trusts would fund the remaining 50 per cent.
	SpR posts are now funded in two ways; either through central funding (100 per cent. funding) or local funding, in which trusts either convert existing training posts or remap money into the training levy to pay for the post. This process of funding was established in 2001–02.
	In 2001–02, central funding was provided to support the implementation of five additional SpR posts in neurology and eight additional posts were funded locally.
	In 2003–04, central funding is being provided to support the implementation of 10 additional SpR posts in neurology. Trusts will also have the opportunity to create up to 20 locally funded SpR training opportunities.

NHS Counter Fraud Service

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls to the NHS Counter Fraud Service there were in each of the last three years; and (a) how many and (b) what percentage of calls resulted in a successful prosecution.

John Hutton: The National Health Service Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (NHS CFSMS) receives numerous telephone calls. The total number of call is not recorded. Where a call indicates the possible existence of fraud or corruption within the NHS, it is referred to a counter fraud specialist for assessment. Following the assessment, and where sufficient information or evidence is provided, the matter is investigated and termed a referral. Details of the numbers of referrals received in the last three years, along with cases where fraud was found to be present, are shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Number of referrals 1,646 
			 Closed cases 1,244 
			 Cases where fraud present 454 
			 Figures shown as percentage 36.5 
		
	
	The presence of fraud can only be finally determined once a case has been closed and the investigation completed. Four hundred and two cases remain open and are currently under investigation or awaiting sanction. In addition to the 454 cases where fraud was found to be present, fraud was found not to be present in a further 790 cases.
	The sanctions available to CFSMS where fraud has been proven are the criminal prosecution and the civil and disciplinary sanction. The figures for the last three years are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Cases where fraud present 454 
			 Cases where sanction sought 358 
			 Figures shown as percentage 78.85 
			 Cases where sanction applied 330 
			 Figures shown as percentage 92.17 
		
	
	Sanctions have not been sought in 105 cases where fraud was found to be present. It may not be in the public interest to progress an investigation to the sanction stage for evidential, cost or for medical reasons.
	Criminal prosecution and civil and disciplinary action are only part of the sanction process. The CFSMS also seek to recover, wherever possible, moneys that have been fraudulently obtained. The figures for the last three years are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Cases where sanction applied 330 
			 Criminal prosecutions 137 
			 Civil and disciplinary sanctions 193 
			 Financial recoveries (£ million) 11.7

Obesity

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were diagnosed in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each LEA as being clinically obese in each of the last 10 years.

Melanie Johnson: Figures for the numbers of children diagnosed as being clinically obese are not available. Obesity is normally measured in terms of body mass index (BMI). There are emerging international standards to define childhood obesity but they were developed among a population that was not representative of English children. An alternative method monitors the percentage of children who are above the 95th percentile of the 1990 BMI reference data. According to this method, five per cent. of children in 1990 had a BMI above this level and were thus classified as obese.
	Increases over 5 per cent. in the proportion of children who exceed the reference 95th percentile over time indicate an upward trend in the prevalence of obesity. When applied to Health Survey for England data, this method suggests that between 1996 and 2001 the percentage of children (aged 6–15) with a BMI above this threshold (representing the prevalence of obesity) increased by 3.5 percentage points, from 12.1 per cent. in 1996 to 15.6 per cent. in 2001.
	There is no data available by region, using this definition. Regional comparisons of the percentage of children in BMI quintiles were published in "The Health Survey for England—The Health of Young People 95–97", table 3.17, a copy of which is available in the Library. No information is available by local education authority.

Obesity

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of (a) men and (b) women were classified as (i) obese and (ii) overweight in each year since 1980.

Melanie Johnson: Figures for all years since 1980 are not available but the table shows estimates from a population survey, the Health Survey for England, from 1991, when the survey began. Although earlier surveys have information on overweight and obesity comparisons are difficult because of different survey methodologies. The Health Survey covers ages 16 and over.
	
		Body mass index(BMI), 1991–2001—Aged 16 and over—BMI (kg/m2)
		
			  Obese (%) Overweight (%) 
		
		
			 Men   
			 1991–92(7) 12.0 42.0 
			 1993 13.2 44.4 
			 1994 13.8 44.3 
			 1995 15.3 44.0 
			 1996 16.4 44.6 
			 1997 17.0 45.2 
			 1998 17.3 45.5 
			 1999 18.7 43.9 
			 2000 21.0 44.5 
			 2001 21.0 46.6 
			 Women   
			 1991–92(7) 16.0 29.0 
			 1993 16.4 32.2 
			 1994 17.3 31.4 
			 1995 17.5 32.9 
			 1996 18.4 33.6 
			 1997 19.7 32.8 
			 1998 21.2 32.1 
			 1999 21.1 32.8 
			 2000 21.4 33.8 
			 2001 23.5 32.9 
		
	
	(7) The samples sizes in 1991 and 1992 were smaller than in subsequent years and for reporting purposes the estimates from both years were combined.

Obesity

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government has to review the role of the food industry in reducing obesity levels.

Melanie Johnson: The effective prevention and management of obesity requires an integrated, cross-government approach, working with a range of partners on programmes to improve diet and increase physical activity levels. The Department of Health, together with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other Government departments, are working with the food industry—producers, manufacturers, retailers and caterers—to improve the overall balance of diet, including salt, fat and sugar in food.
	The Department of Health is leading the development of a cross-Government food and health action plan. Although the plan will be Government led, it will aim to include actions bya range of organisations including the food industry. The plan will address food production, manufacture and preparation, access to healthier food and provision of information for consumers about healthy eating and nutrition. The plan will address healthy eating at all stages of life and will build on existing work to improve diet and nutrition.
	The FSA has commissioned a review on the evidence available on the effect of promotional activities on the eating behaviour of children. This will critically appraise the available evidence and draw conclusions on their effect relative to other influences on eating behaviour.

Obesity

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice the Government issues to healthcare professionals regarding the health risks of obesity.

Melanie Johnson: Action to address obesity in England is being taken forward through the national service frameworks (NSFs) for coronary heart disease, older people and diabetes. The forthcoming NSF for children will address the health and social care needs of all children and will include the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity.
	The Health Development Agency (HDA) is setting out the evidence base for effective interventions on the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity, and the maintenance of weight loss. The HDA is also undertaking "evidence into practice" work following their review of effective interventions.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance on the anti-obesity drugs orlistat and sibutramine, treatment with which should be accompanied by specific concomitant advice, support and counselling on diet, physical activity and behavioural strategies. In July 2002, NICE also issued guidance which confirmed that surgical intervention was an appropriate treatment in some cases for the treatment of morbid obesity, when other options have proved unsuccessful. There is also a national quality assurance framework for exercise referral systems to promote physical activity.
	The Department of Health has also supported the development of guidance for professionals in primary care on weight management in children and adolescents, and contributed through the Section 64 Grant Scheme to the funding of the charity Weight Concern to develop a "toolkit" on obesity, for professionals to use with patients in a group setting.

Childhood Obesity

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts authorise the use of orlistat to children in the treatment of obesity.

Melanie Johnson: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance issued to the National Health Service states that orlistat should only be prescribed for people between the ages of 18 and 75 years. Orlistat is prescribed to children at the discretion of the local clinician and primary care trust (PCT). In 2002, 541,400 prescription items of orlistat were dispensed in the community in England. Of that total approximately 3,000 were dispensed for children.
	Information is not available on how these 3,000 items for children were spread across PCTs. However, orlistat prescriptions (not just for children) were prescribed in general practitioner practices in all PCTs in 2002.

Prison Dental Treatment

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time is to receive dental treatment for (a) those in pain and (b) those requiring routine treatment at (i) HMP Acklington, (ii) HMP Albany, (iii) HMP/YOI Altcourse, (iv) HMP Ashford, (v) HMP Askham, (vi) HMP/YOI Aylesbury, (vii) HMP Bedford, (viii) HMP Belmarsh, (ix) HMP Birmingham and (x) HMP Blakenhurst.

Stephen Ladyman: Those prisoners experiencing dental pain receive treatment without delay, where necessary accessing outside services. Information about routine dental treatment is not comprehensively available. For specific treatments, prisons report waiting times of between one and 55 days. Routine appointments typically take longer.

Carers

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to monitor the peformance of local authorities in England in the provision of respite care breaks.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. McWalter) on 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 427W.

Sensory Impairment

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients suffered from sensory impairment, in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by sense.

Stephen Ladyman: Figures are not held centrally showing how many national health service patients with a sensory impairment are treated for conditions other than their impairment. The table shows the number of finished consultant episodes in 2001–02, for which the primary diagnosis was sensory loss. The figures given are very much an underestimate because they relate specifically to sensory loss. Many other conditions may well cause sensory loss, but that is not the primary diagnosis. For example, there were 265,123 finished consultant episodes in the same period for patients whose primary diagnosis was 'disorders of the lens', including cataracts.
	
		Finished consultation episodes, 2001–02
		
			 Sense Number 
		
		
			 Hearing 3,285 
			 Sight 424 
			 Taste/smell 74 
			 Touch 1,562 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. A finished consultant episode is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes or be admitted several times within the year.
	2. Figures in this table have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health.

Sensory Impairment

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of hospitals had (a) hearing volunteers to assist hearing impaired patients and (b) sight volunteers to assist sight impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what percentage of hospitals used sign language interpreters for hearing impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  what percentage of hospitals used written communications designed for deaf-blind patients in the last year for which figures are available;
	(4)  what percentage of hospitals had access to (a) Type Talk and (b) Minicom services for hearing impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available;
	(5)  what percentage of nurses were trained in communicating with sensory impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available;
	(6)  if he will introduce a protocol for communicating with sensory impaired patients.

Stephen Ladyman: In 1999, the Department of Health issued "Doubly Disabled: Equality for Disabled People in the New NHS Access to Services", to chief executives of health authorities and national health service trusts. This includes a section on providing good quality services for deaf and hard of hearing people. The NHS University (NHSU) is leading on the design and delivery of a disability equality training strategy for the NHS workforce as part of the wider Department of Health human resources directorate's equalities and diversity delivery plan. As part of this work, NHSU will consider a protocol for communicating with sensory impaired patients. This strategy will also influence the strengthening of disabilities awareness within health professional education and training. Statistical information on the strategies adopted by hospitals in communicating with patients who have sensory impairments is not collected centrally.

Strokes

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average age is for (a) men and (b) women suffering strokes; and what the main causes of strokes are.

Stephen Ladyman: Around 110,000 people in England and Wales have a first stroke each year and the majority affect people over 55. Around 10,000 strokes a year occur in people under the age of 55.The summary report of the National Sentinel Stroke Audit, published in July 2002, showed that the mean age for stroke was 73 in men and 79 in women. A breakdown of these figures is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Age in years Age in Years Age in years  
			  Percentage <65 Percentage 65–74 Percentage 75+ Mean 
		
		
			 Male 23 28 49 73 year 
			 Female 11 19 70 79 year 
		
	
	There are two main types of stroke, and each has different causes. The first type, an ischaemic stroke, occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery serving the brain, disrupting blood supply. The second main type of stroke is a haemorrhagic stroke, when a blood vessel in or around the brain bursts, causing a bleed or haemorrhage.
	Main risk factors for stroke include:
	Previous stroke
	High blood pressure
	Irregular heart beat
	Other cardiovascular disease
	Narrowing of a carotid artery
	Diabetes
	High cholesterol
	Obesity
	Alcohol misuse
	Poor diet
	Low levels of physical activity
	Smoking

Strokes

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support the Government give to stroke clubs and other organisations helping people who have suffered from strokes; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: At present, no Government funding is supplied specifically to stroke clubs. Our main source of funding to the voluntary sector is the Section 64 grant scheme. In 2002–03 £22 million was awarded to 394 different organisations. Application forms for the 2004–05 bidding round will shortly be available from the grants unit. Voluntary organisations which organise stroke clubs will be able to bid for these funds. Other organisations receiving Government grants may be helping people who have had strokes, but we do not hold this information centrally.

Vitamins and Minerals

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the handling by the press office of the Food Standards Agency of the publication of the Expert Group's Report on Vitamins and Minerals; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 30 June 2003, Official Report, column 142W.

Vulnerable People

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government intend to include the need to safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of (a) mentally ill adults and (b) older people under Clause 72 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The Bill makes provision for the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) to have special regard for the most vulnerable group in society, children, but singling them out for such particular attention does not mean that other vulnerable groups will not have their rights and welfare promoted by CSCI.
	CSCI will have the responsibility to look at the provision of services for all people, including mentally ill adults and older people.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much he has spent on researching alternatives to animal testing in each of the last 20 years;
	(2)  how much he has spent on animal test research in each of the last 20 years.

Caroline Flint: Since the financial year 1988–89, the Home Office has made a budget available to the Animal Procedures Committee (APC) for the development and promotion of alternatives which replace animal use, reduce the number of animals used, or refine the procedures involved to minimise suffering. Work aimed at improving the environmental conditions in which laboratory animals are kept and transported has also been sponsored. Details of completed research are published in the annual reports of the Animal Procedures Committee, which are available from The Stationery Office and, for recent years, on the Committee's website. The budget provided to the APC and, where available, the actual expenditure, in each year since 1988–89 was as follows.
	
		Animal Procedures Committee budget -- £
		
			 Financial year Budget allocated Actual spend  
		
		
			 1988–89 60,000 70,000 
			 1989–90 120,000 n/a 
			 1990–91 122,000 n/a 
			 1991–92 215,000 n/a 
			 1992–93 253,000 n/a 
			 1993–94 308,000 n/a 
			 1994–95 273,000 n/a 
			 1995–96 253,000 n/a 
			 1996–97 242,000 242,000 
			 1997–98 182,000 181,621 
			 1998–99 259,000 257,141 
			 1999–2000 259,000 275,000 
			 2000–01 265,000 170,203 
			 2001–02 280,000 173,906 
			 2002–03 280,000 272,104 
		
	
	The Home Office has no regulatory requirement for animal test data and does not incur expenditure on such research. Nor do Home Office records show any expenditure on any one-off research projects requiring such data.

Charity Commission

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what requests for information the Charity Commission has made of Mr. Robert Winter of Wendover, Bucks, in respect of the activities of (a) Solutions RMC Ltd, (b) Breast Cancer Research Scotland and (c) Breast Cancer Relief;
	(2)  if he will request the Charity Commission to conduct an investigation into the affairs of Breast Cancer Relief in Manchester.

Fiona Mactaggart: These are matters for the Charity Commission as the Government department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The Director of Operations will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Volunteering

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how effective the Experience Corps (TEC) project has been to date; how many people have participated; what the average age is of participants; what range of placements they are assisting with; what benchmarks are being used to determine the effectiveness of the project; how much money has been allocated to the scheme each year; what TEC activity exists in the Government Office North East region; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Experience Corps is a national initiative with the aim of encouraging more people aged 50 and over to become or to remain active in their local communities.
	The latest figures supplied by the Experience Corps show that around 111,560 volunteers have been recruited since the initiative began and that they have placed over 70,000 volunteers. They report that the average age of the volunteers is just under 61. They have over 423,000 opportunities available in a wide range of roles, for example driving for the Red Cross, helping out at Dorset based cricket clubs, or acting as ground crew volunteers for the Great North Air Ambulance.
	The effectiveness of the Experience Corps will be determined by the extent to which they achieve targets set in respect of the recruitment and retention of volunteers. The main one is that by 2004 they should recruit 250,000 volunteers reflecting the diversity of people over 50.
	The Home Office has allocated the Experience Corps a total of £19.9 million, broken down as £5.5million/£7.2million/£7.2million for the three years to March 2004. A recent evaluation of the Experience Corps raised some concerns surrounding their figures on volunteer recruitment. In the light of this we are currently considering options for funding beyond that date.
	The Experience Corps report that they have just under 10,000 people actively involved in projects in the north-east. They work with a number of partner organisations in a variety of projects which demonstrate the intergenerational aspects of their work; they are a recruiter for HANE (Housing Action North East) launched by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister last November with some 400 volunteers supporting homeless people throughout the region taking up tenancies for the first time; and they work with the Sikh and Hindu communities in Newcastle and Sunderland, for example holding a SEVA event at a Hindu temple.

CABINET OFFICE

Government Gateway

Richard Allan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the open standards compliance of the digital signing system used in the Government Gateway.

Douglas Alexander: As part of our drive to ensure that central infrastructure meets open standards, work is being carried out to upgrade the signing capability of the Government Gateway so that in due course it will meet the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standard.

Playing Fields

Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what playing fields he is responsible for; and what his policy is on their disposal.

Douglas Alexander: I am not responsible for any playing fields.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Affordable Housing

Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of houses built in rural areas in the south-east in each year since 1992 were affordable housing.

Keith Hill: The proportion of houses built by Registered Social Landlords and local authorities is shown in the table and is based on the 16 local authorities in the south-east classified as rural. Figures on completions in rural areas will include all land in the local authority area, including that within defined settlement boundaries.
	
		
			 Year Proportion affordable (%) 
		
		
			 1992 10 
			 1993 18 
			 1994 19 
			 1995 16 
			 1996 12 
			 1997 11 
			 1998 11 
			 1999 7 
			 2000 9 
			 2001 12 
			 2002 7 
		
	
	Source:
	P2 returns to ODPM.

Civil Servants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South on 24 June 2003, Official Report, column 657W. A copy of the table mentioned in his reply is already available in the Library of the House.

Council Tax Revenue

Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the change in the amount raised from council tax for each county council and unitary authority between 2000–01 and that expected in 2003–04.

Phil Hope: The information requested is tabled as follows:
	
		Council tax requirement—county councils
		
			 Shire counties 2000–01 Own council tax requirement £ million 2003–04 Own council tax requirement £ million ChangeAmount £ millionPercentage 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 98.1 132.6 34.5 35.1 
			 Buckinghamshire 128.4 171.9 43.5 33.8 
			 Cambridgeshire 118.0 157.8 39.8 33.7 
			 Cheshire 183.6 229.3 45.6 24.9 
			 Cornwall 106.0 138.4 32.4 30.6 
			 Cumbria 114.7 148.8 34.1 29.7 
			 Derbyshire 174.5 223.7 49.2 28.2 
			 Devon 169.2 241.7 72.5 42.8 
			 Dorset 107.5 147.1 39.6 36.9 
			 Durham 99.0 131.8 32.7 33.0 
			 East Sussex 128.5 181.7 53.2 41.4 
			 Essex 315.5 448.8 133.3 42.3 
			 Gloucestershire 128.1 175.4 47.3 36.9 
			 Hampshire 299.6 401.2 101.6 33.9 
			 Hertfordshire 255.7 357.6 101.9 39.8 
			 Kent 321.1 430.9 109.8 34.2 
			 Lancashire 275.9 345.7 69.9 25.3 
			 Leicestershire 136.9 178.5 41.6 30.4 
			 Lincolnshire 128.5 173.1 44.7 34.8 
			 Norfolk 174.1 242.9 68.8 39.5 
			 North Yorkshire 130.1 177.3 47.2 36.3 
			 Northamptonshire 126.0 169.3 43.4 34.4 
			 Northumberland 76.4 100.7 24.3 31.8 
			 Nottinghamshire 186.3 241.5 55.2 29.6 
			 Oxfordshire 144.8 196.7 51.8 35.8 
			 Shropshire 63.3 88.3 25.0 39.5 
			 Somerset 111.9 156.8 44.9 40.1 
			 Staffordshire 160.9 223.3 62.4 38.8 
			 Suffolk 142.7 209.0 66.3 46.4 
			 Surrey 288.1 401.8 113.7 39.5 
			 Warwickshire 122.7 162.8 40.1 32.7 
			 West Sussex 187.7 264.6 76.9 41.0 
			 Wiltshire 103.5 140.4 36.9 35.6 
			 Worcestershire 118.5 163.7 45.2 38.2 
		
	
	
		Council tax requirement—unitary authorities
		
			 Unitary authority 2000–01Own council tax requirement £ million 2003–04Own council tax requirement £ million ChangeAmount £ millionPercentage 
		
		
			 Bath and North East Somerset 48.8 60.3 11.5 23.6 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 33.6 41.3 7.7 23.0 
			 Blackpool 29.1 44.1 14.9 51.3 
			 Bournemouth 40.0 58.0 18.0 45.0 
			 Bracknell Forest 27.7 35.5 7.7 27.9 
			 Brighton and Hove 63.6 86.8 23.2 36.5 
			 Bristol 112.5 127.8 15.3 13.6 
			 Darlington 20.9 29.4 8.6 41.1 
			 Derby 49.5 60.8 11.2 22.7 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 92.3 110.8 18.5 20.0 
			 Halton 23.7 33.4 9.8 41.3 
			 Hartlepool 24.2 28.9 4.8 19.6 
			 Herefordshire 44.5 62.3 17.8 40.1 
			 Isle of Wight council 37.7 51.9 14.2 37.7 
			 Kingston upon Hull 48.0 61.3 13.3 27.7 
			 Leicester 56.6 67.9 11.3 20.0 
			 Luton 36.1 47.5 11.4 31.7 
			 Medway 52.4 69.0 16.6 31.7 
			 Middlesbrough 30.7 37.7 7.0 22.8 
			 Milton Keynes 50.7 67.5 16.8 33.1 
			 North East Lincolnshire 38.6 48.8 10.3 26.6 
			 North Lincolnshire 44.1 49.8 5.7 12.9 
			 North Somerset 48.6 69.4 20.9 43.0 
			 Nottingham 61.0 74.0 13.0 21.4 
			 Peterborough 36.2 46.2 10.0 27.6 
			 Plymouth 50.3 68.2 18.0 35.8 
			 Poole 38.1 51.6 13.5 35.4 
			 Portsmouth 36.3 51.9 15.6 43.0 
			 Reading 40.1 51.6 11.5 28.6 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 41.0 42.0 1.0 2.4 
			 Rutland 12.0 14.8 2.8 23.4 
			 Slough 24.3 33.6 9.3 38.0 
			 South Gloucestershire 66.0 86.5 20.5 31.1 
			 Southampton 42.2 62.0 19.8 47.0 
			 Southend-on-Sea 38.8 50.1 11.3 29.0 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 44.7 53.8 9.1 20.4 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 46.6 60.6 14.1 30.2 
			 Swindon 40.3 59.6 19.3 47.8 
			 Telford and the Wrekin 33.2 44.6 11.3 34.1 
			 Thurrock 30.1 44.3 14.2 47.0 
			 Torbay 32.2 44.0 11.8 36.7 
			 Warrington 45.6 58.7 13.2 28.9 
			 West Berkshire 45.6 58.7 13.1 28.6 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 43.8 53.4 9.6 22.0 
			 Wokingham 50.1 63.6 13.5 27.0 
			 York 41.8 51.9 10.1 24.3 
			 Isles of Scilly 0.6 0.8 0.3 48.1 
		
	
	The tables show the council tax requirements for each English unitary authority and county council in 2000–01 and 2003–04. These are not the same as the amounts actually collected. In any given year, the amount actually collected in-year is slightly lower than the council tax requirement. In addition, amounts of council tax are also received in respect of previous years.

Housing Associations (Rents)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what arrangements are in place to control rent increases charged by housing associations.

Keith Hill: The Housing Corporation's rent influencing regime for implementing the rent restructuring framework sets out the requirement that in any one year an individual rent does not change by more than £2 a week, in addition to the guideline limit of Retail Price Index plus 0.5 per cent. So the maximum rent increase for a housing association tenant in any one year is RPI plus 0.5 per cent. plus £2 a week.

New Buildings (Competition)

David Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had to assess the effect of competition in building control upon the standard of surveying of new buildings; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Starting in 1997, my right hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich, then Minister for Construction, had discussions on building control with the Local Government Association, the Construction Industry Council and the Association of Corporate Approved Inspectors. These discussions led to the issue, in July 1999, of the Departmental publication, "Building Control Performance Standards", and to the setting up, in May 2000, of the Building Control Performance Standards Advisory Group.
	In October last year, my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Mr. Leslie), met representatives of the LGA Public Protection Executive to discuss a range of building control issues. My hon. Friend made it clear that the Office is always willing to hear from the LGA, and from other member bodies of the Advisory Group, with any concerns about standards of building control, and suggestions for improvements.

Planning Enforcement

Simon Burns: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will finish his analysis of the responses to his consultation paper, Review of the Planning Enforcement System in England; and when he plans to make an announcement on what action he is going to take as a result of the consultation process.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects to complete analysing the responses to the consultation paper and announce the outcome of the review of the planning enforcement system in the autumn.

Unauthorised Camping Guidance

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends local authorities will be given the powers indicated within the 'Managing unauthorised camping guidance' consultation paper to remove unauthorised encampments where transit camps are provided within the fast track provisions; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: The proposed new powers to move illegally camped Gypsies and Travellers to authorised sites will only be available to police services. The power will also be dependent on local authorities providing adequate sites in their areas to enable the police to move Gypsies and Travellers on to.
	The new power has been included in the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, which is due to be read a second time in the other place on 18 July. However, the new police powers will not replace existing legislation currently under Section 61–62 and 77–79 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

Unauthorised Camping Guidance

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the proposals within the 'Managing unauthorised camping guidance' consultation paper will be implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Home Office are currently considering the responses to the consultation paper on managing unauthorised camping. Once concluded, the new joint guide will be published and made available for use by local authorities and police services by the end of the summer.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Jubilee Medal

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Jubilee Medal awarded to fire officers will be presented; and whether all officers and their families will be invited to attend the ceremony.

Angela Smith: The first Golden Jubilee Medals were presented at Brigade Headquarters on 2 July 2003. The remainder have been issued to Area Commanders for presentation. There were no families at the presentation on 2 July, and it will be for each Area Commander to decide on the dates and other arrangements for the local presentations.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Tibet

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of human rights abuses committed by the Chinese against the Tibetan people.

Bill Rammell: We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Tibet and continue to urge China to enter into dialogue with the Dalai Lama's representatives.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on 25 June 2003.

Global Conflict Prevention Pool

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer to the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Campbell) of 12 May 2003, Official Report, columns 77–8W, what the total annual budget is for the Global Conflict Prevention Pool; whether the GCPP will have a role in (a) Iraq and (b) other war zones; whether the report on the activities of the GCPP will list all its current projects; and when the report is due to be published.

Bill Rammell: For the three year Spending Round 2003/04–2005/06, the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) has a programme budget of £74 million each year.
	The funds allocated to the 14 strategies in the Pool for 2003–04, as set in March by a Ministerial Committee chaired by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, total £87.96 million. This figure is higher than the budget mentioned above, because it incorporates funds carried over from previous years under End Year Flexibility arrangements, as well as an element of over programming built into the individual strategies to provide in-year project management flexibility.
	For a full list of the strategies and their allocations I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Foreign Secretary to the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Campbell) on 10 June 2003, Official Report, column 798W. The country/regional strategies are: Afghanistan, Belize/Guatemala, Central and Eastern Europe, India/Pakistan, Indonesia/East Timor, Middle East and North Africa, Nepal, Russia/Former Soviet Union, Sri Lanka, the Balkans. Programmes in these areas cover conflict prevention and reduction, support to peace processes and post-conflict reconstruction.
	A new strategy to support reconstruction and conflict prevention in Iraq is being developed by the three departments which jointly manage the GCPP. An allocation has not yet been set, but funds are available in the GCPP Reserve, and urgent projects for Iraq will be considered for funding from the GCPP Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the meantime.
	We expect to publish a Report on the GCPP in September and copies will be sent to Members and also placed in the Library of the House. It will give an overview of the operation of the GCPP strategies and the projects which are being funded under them, but it will not include a comprehensive list of all projects, as they are too numerous.

Colombia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the treatment of trade unions in Colombia; and what representations he has made on the matter to the government of Colombia.

Bill Rammell: The embassy in Bogota has contacts with trades union representatives in Colombia and receives representations directly and on their behalf from NGOs working in Colombia. I stressed to the Colombian authorities, most recently during my visit to Bogota, the need to provide adequate protection to union activists in order that they may go about their union business safely. In my speech of 25 June at the Amnesty International UK Trade Union Network Reception I explained that I had called on the Colombian government to make clear their support for the work of all sections of civil society, including trades unions, stressing that civil society is part of the solution to Colombia's problems.

Correspondence

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the British High Commission in Tanzania will respond to the letter sent by Jasvir Jutla & Co Solicitors, concerning Dinesh J. Vithlani, ref PAF/APP & CON39/7.

Chris Mullin: Our High Commission in Dar es Salaam has received three letters from Jasvir Jutla and Co concerning Mr. Dinesh J. Vithlani. The letters were dated 17 December 2002, 14 March 2003 and 17 June 2003. The High Commission replied on 23 December 2002, 31 March 2003 and 26 June 2003 respectively.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what derogations will apply to the Republic of Cyprus on accession to the EU in the event of (a) no settlement in Cyprus by the date of accession and (b) a settlement close to the date of accession; and if he will make a statement.[R]

Denis MacShane: The derogations and conditions which apply to the Republic of Cyprus on accession to the EU are laid out in the EU Accession (Cm 5805), which is available in the Library. I refer my hon. Friend to Protocol 10 of the Command Paper.

Drug Trafficking (Afghanistan)

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support is being given to the Iranian government to help combat drug trafficking from Afghanistan.

Bill Rammell: Since 1998, the UK has contributed £3.9 million to the strengthening of Iranian drugs law enforcement capacity. In addition, the UK and Iran are jointly training Afghan border guards in Mashad.

France

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK lorry drivers have been acquitted in France of drug-related matters in each year since 1999.

Chris Mullin: We do not record statistics on the points raised by my hon. Friend. It would incur disproportionate cost to provide the information requested. However, our Consulates in France have manually checked records for the last year, and we are aware of one case of a British lorry driver being acquitted in France of drug related charges.

Hong Kong

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China regarding article 23 of the basic law of Hong Kong during his visit here.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed our concerns about Article 23 legislation with the Chinese Foreign Minister on 25 June.
	These concerns were outlined in a press statement about Article 23 legislation that I issued on 30 June.